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Making White Wine

White wine requires a bit more care than red wine, because there is a higher risk of oxidation, which would ruin the wine. Grapes are usually pressed right away when they arrive at the winery, and will usually receive a few hours of skin contact to draw the fruit flavors from the skins. Fermenation for white wine takes place at a lower temperature, typically between 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit. Fermentation produces heat, so the fermentation vats will usually have cooling systems to keep the must at the right temperature. If the wine ferments at too low a temperature, the fruit characteristics will not make it into the wine. Fermentation at higher temperatures can sometimes produce a more complex wine, but there is a gain a risk of losing some of the varietal fruit characteristics.

Some white wines are additionally fermented in Oak barrels. This is when the wine may be left on the lees, to add an additional amount of character to the wine. When fermentation is finished, the wine will be transferred to clean casks (either oak or stainless steel) where they will age until they are bottled.